WomenGive Scholarship Increases

October 19, 2018

The WomenGive Scholarship Program has been serving women and families in Larimer County for more than a decade. WomenGive has awarded scholarships to 264 women, supported 345 children in receiving quality childcare and assisted 105 women in obtaining their college degrees. United Way of Larimer County is proud to see how far WomenGive has come, but this semester reinforced how many women in our community still need WomenGive’s support.

For the Fall 2018 semester, WomenGive applications nearly doubled from the previous semester. Fortunately, thanks to our generous WomenGive Members and community, WomenGive was able to fund all 22 recipients! Why the sudden spike in applicants? There could be a few factors involved, which United Way of Larimer County staff are keeping an eye on.

Colorado Child Care Assistance Program has an extensive waiting list. The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provides child care assistance to families who meet the income guidelines and are working, searching for employment, or are in training, teen parents, and families who are enrolled in the Colorado Works program and need child care services to support their efforts towards self-sufficiency.

While CCAP is a state-run program that has helped many individuals, there is not enough funding to go around. Currently the CCAP the waiting period to receive funding is about two years, meaning women who need financial assistance will not receive funds in a timely manner – if at all.

CCAP eligible activity criteria no longer includes school hours.Due to the waitlist and budget constraints, education is no longer an eligible activity for individuals receiving low-income CCAP. Low-income CCAP recipients can only use the funds for hours they are working.

With these income guidelines, a single mother needs to be on or below the poverty line. WomenGive’s income guidelines are a little more lenient. For a single mother with one child the allowance is $3,086.00 a month which is $500 more than CCAP.

Outreach for WomenGiveThe recent increase in applicants could also be tied to the outreach efforts of WomenGive staff and volunteers. WomenGive has been attending community events and connecting with agencies that are also serving single mothers to encourage referrals. Additionally, WomenGive’s online presence has increased, creating greater awareness of the scholarship program.

These are just a few examples of factors that affect the ever-changing WomenGive program.

The WomenGive Spring Scholarship application window is open until October 29. If you or someone you know would be a good fit for a WomenGive scholarship, click here.